Improvement in potato-digger



J. D. C. OUTWATER.

Potato-Digger.

Patented July 23, 1867.

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JACOB D. C. OUTW'ATER, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

Letters Patent 1V0. 67,068, dated July 23, 1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN POTATO-BIGGER.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, JACOB D. G. OUTWATER, of the city of Newark, in theState of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Ploughs or Potato-Diggers; and do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings,

forming part of this specification. Of these drawings- Figure 1 is aplan view of my plough, and

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical central section thereof.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the severalfigures.

In a plough intended to take potatoes out of the ground, it is necessaryto so'construct the parts that the row shall be sufficiently opened topermit of the taking out of the potatoes, and, during their removal fromthe row, to separate from them any soil that may be at the same timeploughed up with them. My improvements attached to or embodied in aplough render the digging up, separating from dirt, and removal away ofthe potatoes, an easy and simple matter.

To. enable others to mnkoand use my improvements, I will proceed todescribe their construction and operation.

A is the sole, which may be constructed oflight casting. Attached to thefront part thereof is the double share 13. Above this share, rising atabout the same angle, is the lifting-board C; at either side of this isplaced a side-board, D D. Between these side-boards, and projecting fromunderneath the lifting-board, are contained a number of tines, E-E",850., parallel to each other, and placed at a distance so that thepotatoes will not fall through the spaces between. This series of tinespasses up in the direction of an inclined plane some distance, and thencurves round in a direction with the side-boards to the side of theplough, just in the rear, or nearly so, of the heels, so that thepotatoes will be thrown to one sideand out of the course of the plough,where they can be gathered up rapidly by a person following along withit for that purpose. These tines rest on a notched bar, 1?, placcdalittle belowwhere they commence to sweep round to the side. Just belowthis notched bar is placed a cam-spindle, G, having four sides, withlittle square surfaces thereon alternately countersunk. This cam-spindlehas a pulley-wheel on its axis, over which passes a chain or belt ontothe gear-roller or drum H, (grooved also.) This grooved roller works inbearings placed in the sole just below the lifting-board. The peripheryof this gear-roller or drum H extends below the plane of the lower faceof the sole, and consequently adheres to the ground while the plough isin motion. This motion is imparted to the tines by means of the rotationof the cam-shaft, for as each of the four sides of the camshaft presentsitself to the tines, the latter are either depressed or elevatedalternately, and while one is depressed the adjoining one is elevated,&c. The notches in the bar keep the tines always in position, and at thesame relative distance to each other.

The operation is as follows The potatoes and loose dirt pass on to theshare B, and are crowded up the lifting-board C and on to the tines. Thetines, receiving motion from the cam-shaft, permit of the shaking ofi',breaking away, and falling through the spaces between the tines, of thedirt taken up with the potatoes. The potatoes thus freed are stillcrowded along the tines until they drop oil at the side of the plough.At I, in the beam, I insert a coulter, J, for the. purpose of openingthe surface of the ground, and removing the stalk, sod, 8:0. Thiscoulter is made adjustable in the slot I, that it may be raised orlowered as required. The coultcr in some cases is dispensed with- Havingdescribed my improvements, what I claim as new, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is

1. The combination of curved tines with the share, substantially asdescribed.

2. The combination of curved tines, and geared mechanism for operatingthem, with the share, substan tially as described.

3. The combination of curved tines and geared mechanism with the shareand its sole, substantially as described.-

4. The combination of all the last-mentioned elements with the coulter,substantially as described, with the pointed roller II. t

' JACOB D. O OUTWA'lER.

Witnesses:

Axnunw DE LACY, WM. Scorr.

